My Magic Kingdom wedding pictures are out of focus!! *Finally, a resolution*

[April Elizabeth]

That's so annoying that they were an hour late for the phone meeting. I feel so bad for you. How can they be so unprofessional?

 

[Petals & Pixie Dust]

sending you pixie dust that disney gets their act together on this!

 

[orangetiggs]

ours were just as bad 2 yeasrs ago!!! we are having a reshoot done next year but i dont hold much hope for them being any better

 

[Ember]

ours were just as bad 2 yeasrs ago!!! we are having a reshoot done next year but i dont hold much hope for them being any better

Will you get dressed up again in your wedding attire? Or in different fancy outfits?? On the upside, I've seen a lot of improvements in the work DPS has done recently. I really hope you get amazing photos this time around.

We talked about a re-shoot, but it's three years past our wedding, and we look totally different now...

 

[DoomBuggy0922]

Did you get the new pictures in Ember?!

 

[cherokeemamma]

Hi Ember,
Wondering if you got the CD? How are the pics? If you got it please post some pics...
I am hoping everything works out to your advantage in this. Keep us posted and stand firm.
TTFN
Darlene

 

[Belle2Be]

Bump, Ember don't leave us hangin!

 

[Ember]

Sorry, all! I didn't mean to disappear! I got a nasty flu bug and went home at lunch on Monday. So I didn't get the delivery until today.

As I suspected, Disney has no magic tools to fix an out of focus image. Rather, they are using the same tools as us mere mortals and the result is also the same. When you try to sharpen a blurry image you wind up with a slightly sharper but now grainy and heavily pixilated image. If anything, the solution is worse than the problem because now part of the image is smooth and we're a grainy mess. I'm not sure I could even print these at 4x6 without the sharpening being blindingly obvious.

I have once more e-mailed Disney to say that I do not accept their "solution."

As I promised, I will post some pictures from the sharpened batch, just give me a day or two.

 

[DoomBuggy0922]

Oof! That's awful! I'm really displeased with how Disney is handling this.

 

[Ember]

Okay, here's the result of the edited images. Let me start with an image from the same shoot that is in focus. I've used screen capture to show how I'm looking at the images, through a loupe in a program called Aperture. Yes, this enlarged a detail of the image, but as you can see by this first screen shot, the focus is still sharp and clear (check the eye and the teeth) and there is no pixilization (I want to make this point clear because in the next images there is obvious blur and grain, but as you can see this is not a result of the enlargement of a detail of the image. The image is high enough resolution that you can zoom in with no distortion.)

Here's the original out of focus image using the same loupe.

Here is the image after being sharpened. Look at the details here, the eyes and the teeth, they are still blurred, but now they're grainy, too! We also no longer fit with the background with is smooth...

Another example:

I used a loupe to check the images because screen resolution is such that you can miss issues like focus on a computer screen that you'll later see when you print them. (It's why images you use just for viewing on the computer can be much lower resolution and can still look good when posted on Facebook. In fact, my elementary school now offers low resolution digital files for just this reason. They look fine on-line, just don't try to print them!) I am looking at these images close up, and I'll even admit to being fussy. But I don't think expecting pictures that you paid a grand for to be in focus is in any way unreasonable.

 

[Belle2Be]

You're not being fussy at all, those are extremely poor quality photos. You shouldn't have 3mp quality photos from such an expensive shoot, and thats essentially what they are once they sharpen them to that extreme.

 

[walkdmc]

I'm not a bride to be but the title of your post caught my attention.

You have every right to be frustrated to the max. The pictures you've shown are of terrible quality. Disney should be ashamed to be associated with those pictures, much less charge over $1000 for them. I hope they do right by you and I admire your tenacity.

Good luck to you!

 

[cherokeemamma]

First of all, I hope you are feeling better.

Second, I am shocked at Disney behaving this way. Really...they messed up your pictures and they are liable. The "redone..corrected pictures".... I agree that those pictures are not acceptable.....Thanks but no thanks.

What really stinks is that the day/event cannot be recreated. It isn't "just a photo shoot" ... it was your wedding day! A once in a lifetime event.

Stand strong and don't back down. Looking forward to seeing Disney do the right thing. Please, keep us posted.

TTFN
Darlene

 

[GirTheGecko]

That's horrible. I can't believe they're doing that to you. Like the pp said, they dropped the ball, and hopefully they will do what's right.

 

[CityGirlLost]

Most of the brides in this thread knew there was nothing they could do to add focus to photos that were blurry and there really isn't any way for them to make it up to you. At this point, the least they can do is refund your money AND offer you another shoot. Perhaps for an anniversary. It can't "make up for" your wedding pictures being horrible but maybe you could still have an awesome castle shot with you and your husband.

 

[Ember]

I am once more trying to set up a phone meeting with Disney Photography. Unfortunately, it is report card time and almost all my spare time during the day I'm in meetings with parents. So I'm trying to set something up for next Thursday or Friday which are days off for my district.

Once again, I will keep you guys posted.

And thank you again for the moral support. It's very much appreciated.

 

[Disney-Chick]

I hope all works out for you. I would be so upset. Pictures are a huge thing for both my DF and myself. We always buy all pictures taken on rides, so I don't know what I would do if our pictures come out horrible. I am a bit nervous now but am holding out hope that all goes well for us on our day.

I hope they compensate you greatly for your inconvience and heart ache.

Stay strong and I will keep fingers & toes crossed.

Big hug to keep you going

 

[Ember]

I have a second phone meeting scheduled for Friday, Nov. 12. I will be sure to let you guys know how it goes. I'm really hoping I can get this resolved without any more nonsense or attempts to pat me on the head in the hopes that I'll go away.

 

[cherokeemamma]

Glad you have a meeting set up.
Anxious to hear how things turn out.

Have a great week.

TTFN,
Darlene

 

[Ember]

I spoke with Disney this morning, and have asked for a full refund of the portrait session. I was told Disney doesn't do refunds. She offered to redo the photo shoot, to give me a photo credit, to Photoshop a portrait of us in front castle...

I made the point that we're planning an international move in the summer and will not be in North America for several years. I do not have the money to fly to Florida right now, and chances are good we will not be going anytime in the next few years. I also stood firm in saying I didn't want a photo credit to print any of the images that were in focus, and that I have sufficient skills to do Photoshop work myself.

I don't think asking for a refund is out of line. I paid for something I didn't receive. I'm not asking for anything punitive, or for any real compensation for the fact that Disney messed up my wedding pictures. I'm not making threats about suing or any other demands. I'm asking for my money back for something that wasn't delivered.

She did make the point that 1/2 the images were actually in focus, and I made the counter argument that none of the castle shots were usable. Now that I'm off the phone, I would like to make the additional point that delivering half a product is not okay. You don't buy half a car, go on half a vacation, or get half a meal at a restaurant.

Now, to give Disney credit there were no more offers to "fix" the images and she was very upfront in saying that her photographers saw exactly what I saw. She also apologized, which was appreciated.

So the long and short of things is that nothing is resolved. Again. She is going to management to see if a refund can be arranged and will be getting back to me. Hopefully by phone today or by e-mail in the next few days.